2011 Kia Optima Turbo

The hits just keep coming from Kia.

Consider the , the well received, dramatically styled 4-door midsize sedan from the side of the great Korean corporate automotive equation. Slide the platform out from under the Sonata and send it over to the other half of the equation, . Drop the new body on it and, well, things gets even better.

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Okay, the guys at Hyundai are wincing over that comment, but they can quickly comfort themselves with their healthy sales reports.

Fact is, nice as the Sonata may be, the Optima is better visually. So sweet from nose to tail, not a compromised line on the bodywork. For real contrast, compare the new Optima to past versions of the same nameplate. That car was as boring as a bad Swedish art film.

Kia designers didn't let up when they penned the interior too...but that's not why we're here.

We've already driven the 200-bhp direct-injected 2.0-liter Optima and the Hybrid, so Kia rounds things out with a 274-bhp intercooled twin-scroll turbo edition of the DI 2.0. Torque platforms at a stout 269 lb.-ft. from 1750 to 4500 rpm. The only transmission is a 6-speed automatic. Guesstimates of 0 to 60 are down in the low 6.0s, while the car has EPA figures of 22 mpg city/34 mpg highway.

Rushed along the famed Mulholland Highway north of Los Angeles, the Optima Turbo is a kick, but with caveats. You can have all sorts of fun in the twisty stuff, but Kia could have been a bit more aggressive with the Optima's suspension tuning. Put a bit more edge on it, because the highway ride is already just fine. The steering assist is electric, and the effort is a bit too light for my tastes.

These comments shouldn't come across as too overly critical. It's just that the car looks so good it brings expectations of even more on the sporty side. With all-wheel drive, the Optima could be a certified hunter.